‘Avengers: Age Of Ultron’ Hammers Out $200.2M Overseas – Update

2ND UPDATE, MONDAY, 9:40 AM PT: International weekend champ Avengers: Age Of Ultron has come in a blip (0.5%) lower in the actuals today compared with Sunday’s projection. Disney reports that the five-day tally overseas in 44 markets was $200.2M versus yesterday’s $201.2M estimate. The shift was not in one market in particular, but rather due to various ups and downs in different markets as final numbers were tallied.

Some independent German cinemas have reportedly boycotted the film over what they say is a rental fee dispute. It’s unlikely this had a significant impact on the performance in Germany, where Ultron had the biggest opening weekend ever for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was up 36% over Avengers and 11% over Iron Man 3.

UPDATED, WRITETHRU, 11:05 AM PT SUNDAY: Avengers: Age Of Ultron was the dominant box office force overseas this weekend with a hulking $201.2M start. The Disney/Marvel mash-up kicked off its career in 44 markets representing 55% of its international footprint, initially beginning to roll out on Wednesday and finishing the maiden frame at the high end of industry projections.

Importantly, the $201.2M take exceeds the opening of the first Avengers film by 44% and bests Iron Man 3 by 24% in the same suite of markets, per Disney. Those figures are based on today’s exchange rates with local currencies having significantly dipped against the dollar in the intervening time. Disney’s EVP of Distribution, Dave Hollis, says the result is “extraordinary.” Especially because it’s an increase out of a base “that in and of itself was massive.” It’s also a strong indicator for the markets yet to come including the U.S., China, Japan and much of Latin America.

Many records were set by the Joss Whedon-helmed reteam of Iron Man, Thor, Cap, Black Widow, Hulk, War Machine, Nick Fury, Hawkeye and others. Among them, IMAX saw the largest non-China international opening of all-time with $10.4M and a $60K per screen average.

Korea, which was the 6th biggest overseas market for Avengers, was the top weekend play with $28.2M followed by the UK ($27.3M), Russia ($16.2M), Brazil ($13.1M) and Australia ($13.1M).

Hollis points to the Marvel know-how that creates “an event inside of a movie theater.” From a consistency and a brand standpoint, he says, Marvel has “taken storytelling in every movie since the first Avengers and elevated it. This result is a testament to a lot of work that happens in between releases.”

Since The Avengers came out in 2012, the Marvelverse has spawned Iron Man 3 ($896M total international box office), Thor: The Dark World ($439M), Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($455M) and Guardians Of The Galaxy ($441M). Outside of Guardians, which was a franchise-starter, each of those ultimately performed better than their previous installments: Iron Man 3 was up 159% over Iron Man 2; Dark World increased 64% versus the God of Thunder’s first film; and Winter Soldier fell in line 134.7% above The First Avenger.

Momentum in the current market is also worth a hat tip. As Furious 7 just rolled across the $1B mark internationally, that will have helped encourage moviegoing. Hollis says with people in theaters recently having a great experience, “it makes them want to come back.”

Notable opening frame Ultron benchmarks:

Korea: At $28.2M, the biggest Western industry opening weekend of all time and 2nd biggest industry opening weekend ever with a heroic 91% market share and a start that is 106% above Avengers and 37% above Iron Man 3.

Russia: Currently estimated at $16.2M, Ultron looks like the biggest industry opening weekend of all time, although it will be a close race with Furious 7 which held the distinction coming ito the frame. Ultron was 77% above Avengers and 8% above Iron Man 3 in the market where the ruble has dropped an estimated 46% against the dollar.

UK/Ireland: Biggest superhero movie opening weekend of all time at $27.3M. Also the top April opening ever; highest opening of 2015 and strongest IMAX opening ever. Beat Avengers by 13% and Iron Man 3 by 31%.

France: With the No. 1 opening weekend of 2015 at $12.4M, Ultron was up 9% on Avengers, but 6% below Iron Man 3. Both opened on holiday weekends, Disney notes.

Brazil: The No. 2 industry opening weekend of all time was clocked at $13.1M and gave Marvel/Disney its biggest opening weekend at 45% over Avengers and 29% above Iron Man 3.

Argentina: No. 2 biggest Marvel opening weekend of all time on an admissions basis (Avengers is still tops). The total here was $4.9M.

Italy: With an $8.5M debut, this is the only major market where Ultron came in lower than its comps at 7% below Avengers and 11% below Iron Man 3, both of which opened on holiday weekends.

Elsewhere, Ultron scored the biggest industry opening weekends of all time in Hong Kong ($6.4M) and the Philippines ($7.7M). India was also notable as the No. 2 biggest debut frame ever with $7.7M and a 156% increase on Avengers. In that typically inward-facing market, Disney reportedly partnered with a record-breaking 50 brands across various categories to help promote the film.

Significant releases next weekend — along with North America — include Spain, Mexico, Turkey and Thailand. China bows May 12 and Japan on July 4. In the meantime, Ultron will have a fairly wide-open space in which to flex its muscle. Mad Max: Fury Road is the next big day-and-date release starting May 13. Ultron will also benefit from the upcoming May Day holiday in much of Europe.

18 Comments

Damn, those are some great figures. Could it potentially beat Avatar for highest film?

nerdrage • on Apr 26, 2015 11:51 am

Avatar 2 will probably set all-new records, same with Batman vs Superman and Captain America 3. There seems to be no limit to how high the big-name, zap-pow eye candy franchises can go.

• on Apr 26, 2015 11:56 am

I don’t even think that it will beat furious 7 overseas

Orlando • on Apr 26, 2015 1:11 pm

While the money “Furious 7” has made overseas in insane, I don’t know how confident you are in that comment. AOU’s start is very impressive considering it has only opened in about 50% of it’s global territories. Yes F7 numbers are insane, but please don’t underestimate AOU either my friend. After all this is the Avengers and the MCU we’re talking about here, and underestimating it’s potential would be very foolish of you.

Orlando • on Apr 26, 2015 12:18 pm

The numbers are indeed impressive, but that ‘Avatar’ mark I don’t know, 2.8 billion is a ridiculous amount of money. My best bet would say AOU won’t catch ‘Avatar’, but the next few weeks will be telling on how strong of a run it could potentially make at Avatar. I think reaching 2 billion worldwide certainly looks like a possibility.

IRON WILL • on Apr 26, 2015 11:37 am

Superhero movies FOREVER!!!

An EXCELLENT START for the kick-off of the Summer Blockbuster season…

Jonathan • on Apr 26, 2015 12:11 pm

Let us hope it beats Avatar.

Hoya • on Apr 26, 2015 12:46 pm

I have no idea if the film is any good (hope it is), but the voice of James Spader as the antagonist is absolutely genius. He’s got the best set of pipes and cadence of any American actor today. It’s too bad he’s stuck in a NBC procedural because if you put a great script in front of him with commensurate talent around him, you could have something magical.

Brad Lee • on Apr 26, 2015 2:42 pm

Avengers 2 had a 201 million dollar weekend but it won’t be at the top of the charts because it ain’t out in America….

Anyone else find concept not only out of date but a tad offensive….Yank land ain’t the be all and end all ya know….

• on Apr 26, 2015 5:24 pm

Meanwhile Japan gets this two months late as usual. *shakes head*

• on Apr 27, 2015 7:17 am

This movie needed to be better than Avengers 1 and it’s not.

Chris Sheaff • on Apr 27, 2015 8:14 am

I’ve heard this movie isn’t necessarily anything special, although I’m waiting to see for myself; that said, really impressive opening. Crazy that a film can already have most of it’s production budget back before bowing domestic after five days, but that’s how it can work now.

Orlando • on Apr 27, 2015 1:11 pm

You do have to see it for yourself, I have a friend who’s seen it and he says it’s absolutely fantastic. I don’t know if these critics have some sour grapes towards superhero movies and are trying to give a backlash or what(which it sounds like a lot are), but when you start complaining about too many superheroes being in a SUPERHERO TEAM film which is the biggest complaint I’ve been hearing, come on now that sounds like some petty shit to me.

Dawson's Garage • on Apr 27, 2015 10:14 am

Love these movies with zero stakes!!!

Nothin’ better than watching a film you already know the outcome too…

At least Marvel Zombies mixes things up a bit… make it so Disney or send those books back to the Vault.

John Wickety Wick • on Apr 27, 2015 3:49 pm

Just got back from seeing it this evening in the UK. Very entertaining. Thor has some real comic moments but the original is still better

Deepak Jha • on Apr 27, 2015 9:53 pm

The figures are will much better if the movie will release over 2000 screens

commoncents • on Apr 27, 2015 11:48 pm

Predictions were initially 210 million however, then the estimate was changed to 201 million, yet the result is 200 million. Initial reviews aren’t stellar so it may be up to American audience to push this past 1 billion which it may not do but get close. we are looking at what? 900 million? so no way can it beat Avatar or Avengers 1, basically on par with iron man 3, Cap 3,Guardians and X-men.

Orlando • on Apr 28, 2015 12:22 pm

You do realize it has only opened in about 50% of territories around the world and already made over 200 million overseas, so if I we’re you I would slow down on those silly premature celebrations about the film’s demise and lack of box office success. As far as 210 million predictions I never seen that anywhere, stop lying. Predictions we’re ranging from 160-175 million, that’s all I saw. This film could very well be between 500-600 million overseas by this weekend, and that’s without even opening in China or Japan yet, so be careful not to put your foot in your mouth too early. It sounds like you so desperately want to see this film fail, rather you like it or not I hate to break it to you sport but that’s not going to happen. Add in it’s domestic opening this week and AOU could be over 800 million worldwide by he end of this weekend. And lastly I never saw this film breaking Avatar’s box office record myself, I can see 1.7 to 2.2 billion worldwide in the end which I’ve been calling for a while now, that’s a guarantee. The only thing you’re right about is the reviews have not been quite stellar, the reviews have been good just not at the level of the first film. The strange thing is the reviews are actually better at Meta Critic then they we’re for the first film, rather that holds or not I’m not sure.